My holiday in Eygpt

[Louise Pembroke]

I'm really tired, but I had a great time, a wonderful opportunity and my 1st holiday in 15 years, what a way to go!
My lens behaved and even my make-up stayed on in 35 degree heat!
I saw temples which I cannot even begin to describe, they are awesome and some are the oldest on the planet, 3 and 4,000 years old. They have no foundations or cement and have not been moved by earthquakes. Not even a 300 ton single stone oblis. They still don't know precisely how the pyramids were built. The carvings are exquisite with fine details such as fingernails, ankle and knee joints, a rounded stomach for women and very large erect penises!!! I saw an alabaster statue with huge ones I couldn't stop laughing.
The history is fascinating, my god the Eygptians invented so much!
I saw the Tutankan sarcophagus and tomb, some of it pure gold.
I rode a camel called Moses and we got on very well, me and camels are well on! I looked across the whole of Cairo and the 3 big paramids. I felt like Lawrence of Arabia.
I went on a hot air balloon across the west bank. It was the biggest balloon basket in the world and the trip was breathtaking. Your perspective changes, you feel like you can touch the tops of trees but of course you can't. It's very quiet in between the firing of the gas yet you can hear donkeys and dogs. We flew over peoples homes many of which have no roofs and we could see them in bed with their animals in the next room. Whole families would wave & smile at us. The minibus followed us around then we landed in the wrong place in the middle of a farmers sugar crop. It was slightly scary as we veered almost onto the side and I feared being crushed or burnt. We were pelted with the crops seeds like rain, then the local people had to drag us out and we blocked the whole road!
Cruising the Nile was lovely, the landscape near the river is lush and green, then there are mountains then the sahara dessert. We had tea & cake on the sun deck watching the sunset.
On the boat the staff redefined the meaning of 'service'. Everyone smiles, says hello, good morning, good evening. They constantly clean the place, even the shirting boards, I've never seen such cleanliness.
The cabin staff consisted of these lovely guys who would leave surprises for us all. They made towels, bedspreads and pilllows into swans, a man and a crocodile. Then they would wait for us to enter our rooms to see ur reactions and were gleeful at our laughs and smiles. It was sweetest thing, their sheer enjoyment at our reactions and think of all the effort they put into doing that in addition to their work.
Nothing was too much trouble for them, you could ask for them anything and they wouldn't even let you carry a few drinks to your room.
One evening they danced around around us with candles and instruments. Another evening, I saw a whirling dervish which was incredible, such technique.
There was an Eygptian evening and we all got fancy dressed. I wore this gold chainmail thing with a lovely beaded headress, both of which cost under £20. The jewellry shop was gorgeous [drool] and the owner offered my dad the shop in return for me! We accepted, and referred to each other as 'Queen' and 'husband', and he made me up on Eygptian night with markings which denoted Queen. Michel was very sweet and gave me a silver pendant to remember him by.
The tour guide was excellent, so funny and seriously knowledgeable [degree in Eygptology]. We had quite a laugh too.
Overall, it was like the 'Lynx effect' regarding me and Eygptian men! It's ironic, noone gives me a second look here, yet in Eygpt, they were falling over me and not in an unpleasant way neither [no I didn't snog anyone!].
Visited a carpet factory where the kids make them because their fingers are small enough, they can make a lot of money and only do it till they are 15. The silk carpets are lush and the designs so beautiful.
Visited a perfume factory where they make perfume oils. I got some lotus flower because I've always wanted that. During the demo and talk the owner told us about some of their medicinal oils and then the flower essences, including one which was supposed to drive men wild. Only the women were allowed to try that one and he offered us a dark room to confirm its effect!
We visited a huge beautiful mosque, and a papyrus museum, seeing how the paper is made. The hand painting is out of this world.
It was a good mixture of culture, history, learning and opportunities to buy stuff which is unique to Eygpt.
The tour guide protected us from the vendors who could grab us and hound us and we had a security person all the time.
Tourism is the 2nd biggest money maker for Eygpt so safety of tourists is fiercely protected.
The people are so hospitable and they take service very seriously.
At the hotel it was impeccable. I ended up with an excutive suite with sofas, walk-in wardrobe, I couldn't believe it!! This was because other rooms were unavailable. Mum & dad were in the next room with an ajoining door, so I referred to their room as the 'servants quarters'. We made a silly video of my dad as my butler and my mum as my maid!
You see absolute poverty and begging everywhere beside beautiful mosques and rubble. They use donkeys and horses a lot but animal welfare isn't too hot. One day we were supposed to take a horse a cart ride but we could see the horses ribs and sores so a few of us refused to use them and they had to get us a minibus instead.
Lunch at a local restaurant with Eygptian music was lovely, their flat bread is yummy!
Beautiful memories

[Pat A]

Lou
It sounds absolutely wonderful! So pleased you had a good time - you deserved it! Have you got any good photos you can share with us - particularly of you in Egyptian dress! Sounds a lot of fun!

I'm off on my hols again tomorrow - but to a converted chapel in Devon - and I very much suspect that I will be the maid... ! Not quite the same as the wonderful experience you have had! Methinks the winter woollies & welly boots might be coming with us!

[Andrew MacLean]

Well done Louise that sounds great

Or, here is the same message in Hieroglyphics




Welcome home!

Andrew

[Louise Pembroke]

I don't possess a camera unfortunately, my dad will have photo's but only printed ones